Fox Farm Residents Waiting for Water to Rise

In Grand Forks, the river levels may not be a problem. But just outside of town in the Fox Farm addition, the river is always on the back of people's minds.

"It comes up sometimes more than once a year. We have had summer floods out here, too. I guess that's the price I pay for living near the river," said Fox Farm resident Herb Horner.

Horner lives 15 yards from the banks of the Red River. If it stays below 51.9 feet, he and his neighbors will not have to sandbag.

"Anything over 54 feet, we would have problems no doubt. When it was 54 feet we used a boat to get to and from the main Columbia Road," said Horner.

While some in the area are not taking any chances, some are going to wait for the water to rise.

"We did a lot of preparations two years ago because it seemed it was going to be a lot higher and we spent about two weeks preparing and a month taking it all back down again and so this year were waiting a little bit," said Fox Farm resident Laurie Kraemer.

Besides having to consider the river, folks in Fox Farm have to watch out for overland flooding, as well.

"One of the problems on the north side of our property is a ditch but it is always full of snow and the water can't drain until all the snow melts and it has backed onto the farmland and onto my neighbors yards," said Horner.

Residents in the Fox Farm area have taken some permanent precautions over the years, as well, in some cases including raising their homes.

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